Video: Why “We’re Not So Very Different, You And I”

Another in the excellent screenwriting series Raising the Stakes.

Jonathan W. Stokes is a screenwriter with a unique credit to his name: Five of his original screenplays have been named to the annual Black List. That alone should get your attention, but there’s also this: Over the last few years, he has produced a valuable video series called Raising the Stakes.

Recently, Jonathon debuted the second video in Season 4 of his screenwriting series. Episode 3: Why “We’re Not So Very Different, You And I”. Here’s how he frames the subject:

Why does this famous line occur so often in screenwriting? Why does it tend to be at the Act II Climax or the Act III Climax, when the antagonist confronts the protagonist? And what does this line have to do with Jungian psychology? If you’re curious to find out, then you and I are not so very different after all.

Where Jonathan goes with this is right up my storytelling alley (more on that below). First, the video.

In the video, Jonathan states this:

Every protagonist goes up against their shadow, the dark, psychological forces that represent the worst parts of their nature … brutality, ruthless ambition, cunning betrayal.

To Jungians, you must overcome your shadow to become the best version of yourself.

So the shadow, the antagonist, represents the dark side of the hero’s nature and the dark side of the theme.

By “Jungians,” Jonathan refers to Carl Jung, the founder of analytical psychology. I began studying Jung over two decades ago because I discovered how influential his theories were to Joseph Campbell’s work in The Hero With a Thousand Faces and beyond. Campbell even edited a book called The Portable Jung.

Individuation, Psyche, Self, Integration, Shadow, Wholeness … these are just a few of Jung’s concepts which are directly applicable to writers. I often refer to Jung as the most important “screenwriting guru” as evidenced by a five-part Go Into The Story series:

Part 1: Are We Related to the Infinite or Not?

Part 2: Make the Unconscious Conscious

Part 3: Make the Darkness Conscious

Part 4: Psychological Rule as ‘Fate’

Part 5: Become Who You Truly Are

In fact, I reference Jung several times in my book The Protagonist’s Journey: An Introduction to Character-Driven Screenwriting and Storytelling, including a section titled “Nemesis and Shadow.” Here is an excerpt.

What if we consider a story’s Nemesis to be the physicalization of the Protagonist’s shadow? This circumstance may not be relevant in all stories, but when it is, it allows the writer to explore several dynamics:

• Instead of working with a generic Nemesis character, this framework establishes a specific and unique connection between the Protagonist and Nemesis.
• It compels the Protagonist to confront their shadow self in a visceral and visual way through the presence of the Nemesis.
• · To the degree the Protagonist has been repressing their shadow instincts, this scenario forces the Protagonist to face aspects of their psyche they fear.

If the Nemesis reflects the very nature of the Protagonist’s repressed negative instincts, that creates an exciting potential a writer may explore in crafting the story. Indeed, this dynamic whereby the Nemesis is the physicalization of some aspects of the Protagonist’s shadow is surprisingly common in movies and television series.

Jonathan’s video provides an excellent array of movie clips which explore this shadow connection between the Protagonist and Nemesis (Antagonist) figures. That psychological link, how the Nemesis may be seen as the projection of the Protagonist’s shadow, is reflected in that line of dialogue which recurs in multiple movies: “We’re not so very different, you and I.”

Here are the movie clips featured in the video.

Do yourself a favor and screen Jonathan’s latest video. And more to come in the next several weeks as the rest of Season 4 rolls out!

For more videos in Jonathan Stokes’ excellent Raising the Stakes series, go here. While you’re there, why not subscribe?

Here are links to previous Go Into The Story articles featuring Jonathan’s excellent videos on storytelling.

Season 1

Episode 1: The Objective Correlative
Episode 2: Breaking Suture
Episode 3: Nuking the Fridge
Episode 4: 10 Ways to Invest Your Audience in Your Hero
Episode 5: Heightening

Season 2

Episode 1: Theme Shown
Episode 2: Raising the Stakes on the Call to Adventure
Episode 3: 7 Ways To Do Bad Exposition
Episode 4: 9 Rules For Good Exposition
Episode 5: Magic Flight

Season 3

Episode 1: The Act One Break
Episode 2: Atonement with the Father
Episode 3: Seven Set Pieces
Episode 4: The Midpoint
Episode 5: Anaphora and Epistrophe

Season 4

Episode 1: What is subtext?
Episode 2: The Christ Symbol

For more background on Jonathan W. Stokes, you can go here.

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To learn more about Carl Jung, go here.